Page 85 of Beautiful Life

“Will being a Carpino make me crazy, too?”

“Probably. Leigh, I need you to say it.”

“I’ll have to change my name on everything again,” she sort of complains, but now I know she’s going to say yes.

I give her a warning with my voice. “Leigh.”

She sighs. “I want you to be mine, Tony. I’ve never wanted anything more.”

“Say it.”

After many beats, she murmurs, “Yes. I’ll marry you tomorrow.”

I try and control myself but I can’t help it, my fingers tense on her face and I pull her up to kiss her. I kiss her deep and long and intense. If I couldn’t feel her in my hands and taste her on my lips, I might not believe this is real.

I break the kiss and tip my forehead to hers, holding her close to me. “I love you. I promise to give you a beautiful life.”

“You’ve already made my life beautiful. I’ve never had anything as beautiful as this.”

I pull her in for another kiss, slow and soft this time. “I need to make some calls and move some meetings for work. Give me an hour and meet me in the shower. We’ll get the license, throw the ball with Fin, and take it easy the rest of the day.”

“I told Rosa I’d go to the store for her and bring Finny over to meet her today. I don’t think she has a lot of company during the week and she’s looking forward to us coming.”

“We’ll do that after we get a license.”

She grabs on to my sweaty t-shirt and looks up to me. “We’re getting married.”

I smile down at her. “Yeah.”

“You’re sure you don’t want a wedding? I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

I brush her cheek with my thumb, trying to put the bruises and swollen eye out of my mind. “My only regret is this is years later than it should have been, Leigh.”

“Tony,” she admonishes as she shakes her head back and forth.

“I could have had you all this time. Could have saved you from him,” I mutter.

“Please don’t.” She fists my t-shirt.

“Wish I could take that away from you. I’d do anything to wipe that clean from your head.”

“Stop. I chose him, that’s on me. But today I’m feeling like the luckiest girl alive to get a second chance. I’ll never take you for granted. You made me whole again when I didn’t think I ever would be—wounds I never thought would close. You took away my nightmares and replaced them with dreams. Not many people have their dreams come true, but I get mine. I get my puppy and my hot guy with daisies and milkshakes all tied up with a baby blue bow. But it’s better than I ever dreamed because my hot guy isn’t just hot—he’s gentle and sweet and knows just what I need when I need it. And he loves me,” she finishes on a sigh.

I shake my head. “I don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about with the daisies and milkshakes, but I’m pleased to give you everything else.”

She stands and fits herself to my sweaty clothes. “It’s my innocent girly dream, Tony. Daisies, puppies, milkshakes, and a hot guy. What more could a girl want?”

“Wrapped in a baby blue bow?” I hold her tight to me.

“Yes.” She grins, lifting to her toes to kiss me. “I’ve out grown the polka dots.”

“I still don’t know what you’re talking about.” I dip my hand in the back of her panties to cop a feel of my soon-to-be wife.

“It doesn’t matter. Go make your phone calls. I need to figure out what to wear to my wedding tomorrow.”

I give her ass another squeeze, kissing her at the same time before letting her go.

She throws me an excited grin, grabs her coffee and looks to the dog. “Come on, Finny. Let’s go find something to wear.”

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